The Dyldam Parramatta Eels Holden Cup side has held on to beat the New Zealand Warriors 50-24 to start their 2014 season in a great fashion.
The Eels were pressured in the second half but maintained composure to record a comfortable win over the Tasman visitors.
It was all Eels in the opening 20 minutes, with Halaufu Lavaka opening the scoring for the Eels’ season, crossing in the corner, with an unsuccessful conversion from new fullback Nathan Davis.
It didn’t take long for Davis to find his form though, converting a try from Joey Lussick only three minutes later.
A few penalties kept the pressure on for the Warriros, with their defence eventually lapsing to allow Fred Junior Mauala to score for the Eels.
The Warriors earned their first points just after the initial 20 minutes, when lock James Bell stuck out his hand in a two-man tackle and somehow managed to get the ball down.
Davis showed why he’s been an Australian schoolboy after finding a hole in the visitors’ defence to score late in the first half, and converted his own try to put the Eels 22-6 in front at half time.
The second half began in similar fashion, with Tepai Moeroa receiving a great Lussick ball giving him space to take on the line, and scoring his first try of the season for the Eels.
The Warriors countered five minutes later, after fullback Brad Abbey chipped the ball from the ground and out-ran Davis to score in the corner.
Toafofoa Sipley added two tries in quick succession for the Warriors, narrowing their lead to just four points and intensifying the pressure on the Blue and Gold.
But our Under 20s side was unperturbed, scoring four unanswered tries in the final 20 minutes to steamroll the Warriors.
Tepai Moeroa, Josh Aloiai and Fabian Goodall all crossed the line, with the Eels gathering momentum towards the full time siren.
And on that siren, Ryan Matterson scooped up a loose ball and added an extra try, that brought up the final Eels tally to 50 points.
Parramatta Eels 50 (Moeroa 2, Lavaka, Lussick, Mauala, Davis, Goodall, Matterson, Aloiai tries, Davis 7 goals)
def.
New Zealand Warriors 24 (Sipley 2, Bell, Abbey tries, Lino 4 goals)
